


The question was, how many at bats did Machemer feel he gave away in the course of a season? Johnson, Machemer recalled to The Greatest 21 Days in July, focused on being mentally ready to hit as much as being physically ready.
"That really clicked," Machemer said then. "That really, rally clicked in my mind when he told me that. Just like a light bulb went off."
It was Johnson, coming off a 16-season major league career himself, whom Machemer credited with getting him finally ready to make the majors. Machemer debuted in the majors that June.
Johnson's debut came in 1960, getting into six games that year. That performance helped get him a 1961 Topps card and the 1961 Rookie Star. It was a card I came across last weekend at a local mall, on our way to a movie.
Thumbing through dollar bin vintage cards, and a couple other bins, I came across Johnson's card and paused. Wasn't that one of the guys Machemer credited with getting him to the big leagues? It was.
It's an example of a player I wouldn't have given a second look to, but for this blog. I think that's really cool.
I picked up a bunch of other cards, including direct CMC set members. These are the cards I picked up of players who have CMC connections.

With the father on the card are Vern Geishert and Wayne Simpson. Geishert got into just 11 major league games in his career, all in 1969. Simpson got into six big league seasons, his last time coming in 1977.

Buckner, of course, had a long career in the majors, playing in 22 seasons. His card mate, Jack Jenkins got into parts of just three, getting into all of eight games.

"Greatest baseball thrill for Felipe occurred 9/10/63," the card back reads, "when all 3 Alous, Felipe along with Matty & Jesus, played in the majors together for the 1st time. All 3 batted for Giants in 8th inning vs. Mets at Polo Grounds."


One of those three others was catcher Steve Swisher. Swisher would go on to be a manager in the minors, serving as manager of the Tidewater Tides in 1990. I featured both Swisher's playing days and his managerial career in August.
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